Page 192 - Islam Denounces Terrorism

190 Islam Denounces Terrorism

The Value Placed on the People of the Book in
the Qur'an

Today all good things have been made halal [lawful] for you. And the
food of those given the Book [Jews and Christians] is also halal for
you and your food is halal for them. So are chaste women from among
the believers and chaste women of those given the Book before you
[Jews and Christians], once you have given them their dowries in
marriage, not in fornication or taking them as lovers. But as for any-
one who rejects faith, his actions will come to nothing and in the here-
after he will be among the losers. (Qur'an, 5:5)

This verse describes the value that Muslims place on the People of
the Book with various pieces of important detail. According to this
verse, a Muslim man is allowed to marry a woman of the People of the
Book. This is a significant permission, because as commanded in the
verse, "Corrupt women are for corrupt men and corrupt men are for

corrupt women, good women are for good men and good men are for
good women…" (Qur'an, 24:26), Muslims have a responsibility to
marry good, clean people. This indicates that Jews and Christians are
also good, clean people.

In addition, there is a very important criterion in this verse. A
Muslim will intend to take a Jewish or Christian woman as his wife, to
call her "darling" or "beloved," to start a family with her, to spend his
life with her and even to spend eternal life with her. This is the sole
person throughout his life with whom he will share all his troubles and
all his happiness. These two look after one another when they are ill,
and trust one another.

According to the fanatics' way of thinking, however, a person
should feel enmity toward the woman he calls "beloved," with whom
he spends his life and entrusts his own life to, the mother of his chil-

dren, and declare her to be cursed only because she is a Christian or a
Jew. One would have to be profoundly psychologically disturbed to do